Soil aeration device

Abstract

A soil aeration apparatus may include aeration tines that are actuated by a relatively compact gear system that reduces the size and weight of the apparatus. In addition, a soil aeration apparatus may operate without a centrally disposed support shaft, thus enabling the tine-holder shafts to be positioned closer to one another and reducing the size of the apparatus.

1. An apparatus for aerating soil, comprising:
 first and second holding means coupled to a carrier, the first and second holding means extending axially from the carrier in substantially parallel relation and being radially offset by a separation distance; 
 a first soil fracturing means attached to the first holding means, the first soil fracturing means extending radially from the first holding means to a distance greater than one-half the separation distance; and 
 a second soil fracturing means attached to the second holding means, the second soil fracturing means extending radially from the second holding means to a distance greater than one-half the separation distance; 
 wherein the first soil fracturing means is staggered relative to the second soil fracturing means such that, during operation of the apparatus, the first soil fracturing means fully revolves about the first holding means relative to the carrier without interference from second soil fracturing means and without interference from the second holding means. 
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second soil fracturing means are operative to penetrate and remove a portion of soil from a ground surface. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second soil fracturing means comprise soil aerating tines having tubes, blades, spikes, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
     4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each aerating tine comprises a cutting tube coupled to a blade portion, the cutting tube being laterally offset from the blade portion. 
   
   
     5. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first soil fracturing means comprises a first set of aeration tines, each aeration tine extending radially from the first holding means. 
   
   
     6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second soil fracturing means comprises a second set of aeration tines, each aeration tine extending radially from the second holding means. 
   
   
     7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first holding means comprises a first tine rack and the second holding means comprises a second tine rack. 
   
   
     8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising means for driving planetary motion of the first soil fracturing means and the second soil fracturing means. 
   
   
     9. An apparatus for aerating soil, comprising:
 first and second shafts rotatably coupled to a carrier, the first and second shafts being substantially parallel and being radially spaced apart by a separation distance; 
 a support shaft coupled to the carrier along a central axis of the carrier; 
 a first set of soil aeration tines attached to the first shaft, each tine in the first set rotating relative to a ground surface in one of a first set of rotation planes, wherein each tine in the first set fully rotates about the first shaft relative to the carrier without interference from the second shaft; and 
 a second set of soil aeration tines attached to the second shaft, each tine in the second set rotating relative to the ground surface in one of a second set of rotation planes, wherein none of the second set of rotating planes overlap any of the first set of rotating planes. 
 
   
   
     10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each tine in the first set of aeration tines extends radially from the first shaft to a distance greater than one-half the separation distance and each tine in the second set extends radially from the second shaft to a distance greater than one-half the separation distance. 
   
   
     11. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first shaft is offset from the support shaft such that the first set of tines is operable to revolve about the first shaft without interference from the support shaft. 
   
   
     12. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the second shaft is offset from the support shaft such that the second set of tines is operable to revolve about the second shaft without interference from the support shaft. 
   
   
     13. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the soil aeration tines are operative to penetrate and remove a portion of soil from a ground surface. 
   
   
     14. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each aerating tine comprises a cutting tube coupled to a blade portion, the cutting tube being laterally offset from the blade portion. 
   
   
     15. The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a planetary gear system coupled to the first and second shafts so as to drive the first set of tines to rotate fully about the first shaft and to drive the second set of tines to rotate fully about the second shaft.